VMA Annual Awards

Veterinary/Animal Health Media Advertising Award – sponsored by Kynetec

This award is for advertisements that have been used to promote a product or service to a veterinary, pharmacy or SQP audience. Entries should have been targeted direct to the veterinary surgeon, pharmacist or SQP and appeared in a veterinary/animal health publication in the UK during 2020 or 2021. Entries will typically be a single advertisement.

Farm Media Advertising Award – sponsored by Farmers Weekly

This award is for advertisements that have been used to promote a product or service to a farmer audience. Entries should have been targeted direct to the farmer and appeared in a farming journal or newspaper in the UK during 2020 or 2021. Entries will typically be a single advertisement.

Companion Animal/Equine Consumer Media Advertising Award – sponsored by Circa

This award is for advertisements that have been used to promote a product or service to a consumer pet/equine owning audience. Entries should have been targeted direct to the consumer pet/equine owner and appeared in a journal, newspaper or a broadcast environment in the UK during 2020 or 2021. Entries will typically be a single advertisement.

Advertising Campaign Award – sponsored by Veterinary Record and In Practice

This award is intended for companies that have prepared a campaign or series of advertisements that can only be fully appreciated when viewed as a whole. Entries for this award should have appeared in one or more of the three categories detailed above in the UK during 2020 or 2021.

Marketing Campaign Award (for companies with a UK annual turnover under £15M) – sponsored by UK Vet Publishing

This award is intended for companies with an annual turnover of less than £15 million that have prepared a complete marketing communications programme, including a mix of media channels such as: social media, digital, video, direct mail, press material and advertising to support their marketing objectives. The campaign must have been executed in the UK during 2020 or 2021.

Marketing Campaign Award (for companies with a UK annual turnover over £15M) – sponsored by Noble Futures

This award is intended for companies with an annual turnover of more than £15 million that have prepared a complete marketing communications programme, including a mix of media channels such as: social media, digital, video, direct mail, press material and advertising to support their marketing objectives. The campaign must have been executed in the UK during 2020 or 2021.

Direct Mail Award – sponsored by VetFile

Eligible entries for this award are direct mail campaigns targeted at veterinary surgeons, pharmacists, SQP’s, farmers, pet or equine owners in the UK during 2020 or 2021.

Detail Aid Award – sponsored by Proagrica

Entries for this award should have been used by company sales representatives within veterinary practices/animal health retailers in the UK during 2020 or 2021. Entries into this category can either be in printed or digital form.

International Marketing Campaign Award – sponsored by Webinar Vet

This award provides an opportunity for marketing agencies to highlight their achievements in developing a marketing communications platform which has been used internationally. Criteria as per the Marketing Campaign Award except that the campaign must have been executed in the UK plus one other country during 2020 or 2021.

Point of Sale Award – sponsored by Lewis Business Media

This award is intended for promotional materials used within the premises where products for animals are sold, dispensed or prescribed for the purposes of supporting the product through branding, merchandising, education etc. Examples would include items such as leaflets, posters, merchandising units, etc. The campaign must have been executed or materials available in the UK during 2020 or 2021.

Practice Marketing Award – sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim

This is a category for veterinary practices only. It will be awarded to the practice (companion, production animal or equine) that demonstrates the most initiative and/or innovation in the marketing of its products and/or services to end users. Eligible entries for this award can include: display advertising, direct mail, digital or social media activity (e-marketing, website, etc) or events (e.g. open days) which has been targeted at end users of the practice’s products or services, for example, to clients, general public or farmers. The material must have appeared in the UK during 2020 or 2021.

Integrated Digital Campaign Award – sponsored by VetTimes

This award recognises marketing campaigns (product promotional or educational) executed across a range of different digital and social channels and integrated to deliver an effective and cohesive campaign.  The campaign must have been executed in the UK during 2020 or 2021.

Digital Innovation Award – sponsored by Purple Agency

This award recognises the use of leading-edge digital technology in the veterinary/animal health market (can be technology previously used in other industries), or the innovative use of older digital formats. Use of new digital technology will focus on how it stretches the boundaries, meets project objectives and communicates to the target audience whilst innovative use of more established technologies will focus on novel ideas and excellence in implementation. Entries must have been used in the UK during 2020 or 2021.

PR and Social Award – sponsored by Veterinary Times and VN Times

This award is for the company or veterinary practice that has delivered the most innovative PR and / or social media initiative or programme in 2020 or 2021. This can be a single ‘one-off’ published piece or a sustained campaign over a given period to support a product/initiative in the veterinary/animal health industry. It will include published material in any journal, magazine, newspaper, TV, radio or other digital media in the UK during 2020 or 2021. The material must be genuine editorial – campaigns which include a paid format (e.g. advertorial or sponsored material) as part of the programme can be included with your entry, however any ‘paid for’ elements will not be judged or form part of the scoring.

Face to Face Exhibition Award – sponsored by BSAVA

This award is for innovative and effective use of physical exhibition space during 2021. Entries will need to show visuals of the stand and any promotional activity used to promote the stand both before and/or during the exhibition.

Virtual/Hybrid Event Award – sponsored by…

This award is for innovative and effective delivery of a virtual or hybrid event during 2021. Entries will need to show evidence of how the event was delivered including technical accessibility and audience engagement/ interaction before, during or after the event.

Packaging/Application/Delivery Award – sponsored by…

This award is for innovative and customer focussed use of product packaging or product application/delivery to differentiate from the competition. The packaging/application/delivery must have been in use during 2020 or 2021.

VMA New Marketing Talent Award – sponsored by British Dairying and VMA

With generous sponsorship from British Dairying magazine and supported by the VMA, this prestigious award is to recognise a  new marketer, either in age, experience or both, who has demonstrated marketing flair within the veterinary and animal health industry. The winner receives a £2,000 CPD bursary for their ongoing marketing training and development, as well as support and advice from the VMA committee of industry professionals. Entrants should be 34 years of age or under and/or in a marketing role for less than five years on 18th March 2022.

Veterinary Vote Awards – sponsored by CM Research

These two awards are voted for by veterinary surgeons in practice:

• New Product of the Year Award – for the vets’ ‘favourite new product’, launched in the UK during 2021.
• Veterinary Readership Award – for the vets’ ‘favourite advertisement’, which has appeared in a veterinary journal during 2021.

Veterinary surgeons will be contacted at the beginning of 2022 to elicit their opinions. All responses will be analysed and winners will be announced at the awards.

Judges Choice Award – sponsored by…

This award is given for the most outstanding entry of all those entered. It is intended to mark a notable achievement (innovatory or brave) in any aspect of the advertising mix – messaging, creativity, delivery, etc. Judging for this award will be undertaken at the face to face judging day from all the shortlisted entries plus the top 5 entries as judged by the online judging panel.